Gasolene-tank for motor-cycles.



L. R. EVANS, GASOLENE TANK FOR MOTOR CYCLES.

APPLICATXON FILED DECJIB. HHS

' Patented-Apr. 16, 1918. t

By 91 I I I ATTORNEY seamen erases LEIGH R. EVANS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 OYCLEM FATENT OFFKOE.

OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GA-SOLENE-TANK FOR MOTOR-CYCLES.

To all whom it may concern: 5

Be it known that I, LEIGH R. EvAns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Rochester, in the county 0f Monroe and State of New York, have 111- vented a new and useful Gasolene-Tank for Motor-Cycles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to receptacles or tanks, and more particularly to tanks which are attached to the frames of bicycles and motorcycles, and which are used for holding gasolene or oil.

One of the objects of this inventlon 1s a tank which possesses great strength and rigidity and yet is light, and which can be cheaply made and assembled.

A further object of the inventlon 1s a s mple cap for the filling tube of the tank which can be used to measure oil or any other substance which it is desired to add to the gasolene in a certain proportion.

A further object of the invention is to provide avent opening for the tank which prevents the leakage or overflow of gasolene from the tank, while at the same time permitting the air to have free'access to the tank.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invention progresses.

The invention consists in the parts and in the combinations and arrangements of parts, which are more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing, inwhich s illustrated the preferred physical embodiment of the invention and in which l1ke reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a gasolene tank embodying the -1 nvention, a portion of the tank between its middle and one of the ends being broken away on account of the limited space; F 1g. 2 is a side view of the tank, also broken away; Fig. 3 is a transverse section takensubstantially on the line 3-8 in Fig. 2; F1g. 4 1s a transverse section taken substantially on the line H in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section through the filling tube and filler cap, showing the vent opening.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in the particular embodiment of the invenslightly, as indicated at Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd Apr, 316, 1918, Application filed December 18, 1915. Serial No. 67,694,.

tion illustrated, the gasolene tank comprises two counterpart sections A and B, each made of a single piece of pressed sheet metal; and these sections A and B have their edges telescoped slightly and soldered, or otherwise fastened so as to be liquid tight, the edge por- OTOR CORPORATION,

tion of one of the sections, B, being oiiset 4 v 4, Figs. 1, 3 and l, so as to permit of this telescoping and at the same time leave the major portions of the sections lying in corresponding planes. Each of the sectionsA and B are rounded on each edge and corner, as clearly shown in the drawing, so as to afford a very stiff and light construction. The lower portions of the sec tions A and B, which constitute the bottom of the tank, incline inwardly and downwardly from their ends to a middle flat'portion 5 having a hole 6 therein, as shown to the best advantage in Fig. 3. Over this hole 6 is riveted and soldered a sediment cup'7,

having a removable plug 8 in its bottom for cleaning purposes. A suitable shut-off valve or cock 9 is screwed into the sediment cup 7 a short distance from its bottom; and secured to the valve 9 is a gasolene pipe 10 which 1 leads to a carbureter in the usual way.

' The tank is designed to be attached to the horizontal reach bar of a bicycle of ordinary construction or to the frames of motor cycles and the like, and for this purpose a pair of supporting clips 11 are riveted to the top of the tank near each end, diamond-shaped reinforcing plates 12 being disposed on the under side of the top and having the rivets passed through them; and each of these supporting clips 11 has a hole 13 in it near its upper end adapted to receive a bolt (not shown) for clamping that clip 11 and its mate to the reach bar of a bicycle, or to any other similar member. a

A reinforcing member 14 extends from the top to the bottom of the tank for the greater part of its length betweenits ends, said reinforcing member having a flange 15 along each edge which is riveted to the top and bottom of the tank, respectively; and in the lower edge of the reinforcing member at the points where the middle horizontal portion 5 of the bottom ofthe tank and inclined portions of said bottom meet are cut V-shaped notches 16, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.. These notches 16 break the continuity of the lower edge of the reinforcing member 14, thereby permitting the flange 15 to be bent along its lower edge without difficulty and these notches 16 are also cut deep groove 18, substantially V-shape in cross' section, is cutin said screw threads of the filling; tube 17, slightly deeper than the depth of said threads, as shown to the best advantage in Fig. 5, for the purpose hereinafter explained; and in the upper edge of the filling tube, preferablydiametrically opposite to the. groove 18 is cut a shallow notch 21, as shown in- Fig. 3. The filler cap-19 has a downwardly projecting annular flange having internal screw threads formed therein arranged to engage with the screw threads formed on the filling tube 17. To the undersideot the filler cap 19 is fastened a tube 20 which extends downwardly into the tank when the filler cap 19- is in place; and when thefiller cap 19 is removed and inverted, the tube 20 canbe, used as a measuring cup. The tank is'intended to be used with engines of thetype which can be lubricated in whole or in part by oil mixed with the gasolene; and to facilitate the mixture of the oil with the gasolene in the right proportions, the measuring tube 20 is provided it being intended that this tube should be filled a certain number: of times for each tanktul of gasolene.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 5, the groove 18 through the screw threads on the filling-tube 17 and-the notch 21 therein form a vent opening for the tank when the filler cap l9 is-screwed in place, said vent opening beingpartly obstructed by the screw threads on the filler'cap 19; and in effect these screw threads on the filler cap extend partway across the groove 18 and act as battle plates to impede any sudden expulsion of air or gasolene from the tank. A gasolene tank carried on a motorcycle is subjected to severe jolting and vibration, the tank being alternately collapsed and expanded to a slight extent, so that the gasolene is violently agitated and slopped around, and at times exerts considerable pressure against the top; and with an'ordinary vent hole, regardless of how small it is, there is bound; to be some leakage of the gasolene. In the construction embodying this invention, however, the gas olene to escape through the vent opening mustv pass along the space between the outside of thetube 20' and the inside of the filling tube 17 then upon reaching the filler cap 19, abruptly change the direction of its movemenurpass through the. notch 21 and halfway around the filler cap 19, and finally pass through the groove 18, which is partly abling the inflowing air to evaporatethis film ot'g-asol'ene andreturn it to the tank. This is the action which I believe explains why actual trial has demonstrated that the construction shown and described so effectually prevents the escape of gasolene, while 7 at the same time permitting the free access of air but I-do not wishto-bexbound by this theory of action.

In assembling the-parts otthe tank, the 'clips'll, the filling tube 17, and the sediment cup '2 are riveted and solderedin place, and this operation is materially facilitated by reason ofthe fact that the tank is made of two sections. After these parts have been fastened inplace; thereinforcing member 14 is fitted and rivetedin the section B; and

then the section- A is fittedlrinto the section i B, and soldered orotherwise fastened to said sect1on-, the re nforcing member 1a facilitating this operation by l'zeepmgtheaedges ot'the two sections A and Bin close: contact. In

this way' the tank can be very quickly and cheaplyassembled. i

The strength of the tank is'increased without adding "to its" weight by the rounding of all corners and edges, and by the reinforcing member 14, thexwliole structure forming a container of g-reat strength .andrigidity. compared with its weight and one which can be utilized asa'gasolene tank for vehicles and for other purposes where such tanks aresubj ected' to severe stresses and vibration.

Obviously various changes may be made in the particular construction shown and described without departing from my invention, and I do not wish to. be restricted to the details of this; construction shown. and described.

What I claim is;

A gas'olene tank comprisingtwo counterpart elongated sections having their corresponding edges overlapped" and joined together by a liquid tight joint to form a tank apart and for tying them together, said closed receptacle, a filling tube riveted to reinforcing member having holes therein for one of said sections, a discharge tube rivpermitting gasolene to flow from one side of 10 eted to one of said sections, and a longitudisaid reinforcing member tothe other, the nal reinforcing member extending between edges and corners of said sections being opposite Walls of said tank and fastened rounded. thereto for spacing opposite walls of said LEIGH R. EVANS.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ol ratentl.

Washington, D. G. 

